Sam.

Sam’s birthday was Saturday. I am having a hard time believing he’s three. In some ways it seems like it was yesterday when he was born. In other ways, it seems like he’s always been with us.

Even though he’s only three, he’s got a few great loves in his life. His house (the kid is a total homebody), his sister, and baseball.

Especially baseball.

The day Sam was born, my dad christened him “Sluggin’ Sam.” The next day Dad went to the Reds game and snagged the first fly ball he’d ever caught, after, you know, about 50 years of trying. He brought it to Sam at the hospital.

By Sam’s first birthday, his favorite word was “ball.” He couldn’t walk, but he already loved to play ball. I had the brilliant idea to have a ball motif for his birthday party – we could decorate with all sorts of balls and we could serve melon balls and meat balls and all sorts of things… but his father quickly determined that the theme for his party could not be BALLS.

By his second birthday, he called himself “Baseball Sammy.” He never went anywhere without his baseball cap and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was his favorite song.

Last weekend, we spent his third birthday at one of his very favorite places in the world – Busch Stadium – watching his beloved Cardinals.

He was SO excited. Random strangers took pictures and video taped him yelling “Go Cardinals, GO!!!!” My facebook page was not the only one featuring Sam that day.

Sam’s interests aren’t particularly diverse or varied – he finds something he likes and sticks with it. But his passion and enthusiasm are inspiring to me, and I learn from him every day.

He is such a great kid.

Happy birthday, Baseball Sammy. I love you more than everything put together.